Many devices, structures, and accessories are located in a structural wall and have a variety of different functions. One such device is an electrical junction box. Electrical junction boxes are used to house and protect electrical devices such as electrical outlets, switches and associated wiring when the electrical devices are installed in a building or other structure. Typically, an electrical device is installed either by securing the junction box containing the electrical device directly to framing within the structure, or by securing the junction box to a support member or mounting device that is fastened to such framing. The mounting device comprises a mounting bar having coupling flaps at opposite ends of the bar for securement to spaced-apart wall studs or structural members. When the coupling flaps are secured to the studs, the mounting bar extends generally horizontally between the studs. The mounting bar has a generally channel-shaped cross-section, and a plurality of box mounting openings are defined in and spaced along the length of the mounting bar for receiving fasteners to secure an electrical junction box to the mounting bar at a selected location.
To attach an electrical junction box to mounting devices of the type described above, fasteners are typically inserted through openings in the rear wall of the electrical junction box into selected openings in the mounting device to attach the electrical junction box directly to the mounting device. In the case of the mounting bar described above, the particular openings selected will depend on the desired position of the electrical junction box relative to the framing of the building. The procedure is typically carried out at the job site when the junction box is empty (before installation of an electrical device in the junction box) so that the installer has uninhibited access to the electrical junction box and there is no risk of damage to the contents of the electrical junction box. After the electrical junction box is fastened to the mounting device, the electrical device is installed in the electrical junction box and wired.
The above procedure cannot be used if the box is “pre-wired”, that is, if the electrical device is installed in the electrical junction box at a location other than the job site. In this situation, the empty electrical junction box must be secured to the appropriate mounting device at a remote location, the electrical device wired in the electrical junction box, and the “pre-wired” box then transported to the installation site. However, a problem arises if there is a need to adjust the position of the electrical junction box on the mounting device at the job site, since any such adjustment would require the installer to remove the electrical device from the electrical junction box, reposition the electrical junction box on the mounting device, and then replace the electrical device in the electrical junction box, or some other time-consuming and expensive procedure.
Similarly, the conventional procedure is unsatisfactory if the electrical junction box and associated mounting device are pre-assembled (referred to as a pre-assembled electrical junction box assembly). A pre-assembled electrical junction box assembly is an electrical junction box (and optionally, but not necessarily an electrical device) that is mounted on the mounting device at a location other than the job site. Like with a pre-wired electrical device, because the electrical junction box of a pre-assembled junction box assembly is already secured to the mounting device being shipped, a problem arises if there is a need to adjust the position of the electrical junction box on the mounting device at the job site. In effect, the electrical junction box would have to be removed from the mounting device, and any assembled components may have to be disassembled, thereby negating any advantage of pre-assembly.
Moreover, brackets or other intermediary components may be introduced between the electrical junction box and the mounting device in order to couple the electrical junction box to the mounting device. For example, brackets may be coupled to the mounting device and electrical junction boxes may be coupled to the brackets. Some of these brackets are extremely wide (in some cases as wide as or wider than the electrical junction box) and consume a large amount of the space along the mounting device. This wide footprint limits the flexibility and quantity of mounting locations along the mounting device between the wall studs. Additionally, the wide footprint inhibits the electrical junction box from being positioned close to one of the wall studs. Furthermore, consuming a large quantity of space between the wall studs inhibits coupling additional brackets and additional electrical junction boxes to the same mounting device between the wall studs. Conventional brackets or other intermediary component are large in size and, therefore, require a large amount of material to make the bracket. This results in such brackets being expensive to manufacture and expensive to consumers.
Conventional brackets or other intermediary components often include complicated configurations having a variety of bends, recesses, and other shapes requiring complicated manufacturing processes. Such complicated manufacturing processes can add additional cost to the brackets.
Furthermore, conventional brackets or other intermediary components wrap completely around the mounting device, thereby positioning a portion thereof between a front of the mounting device and a rear wall of the electrical junction box. Positioning the bracket between the mounting device and the electrical junction box spaces the electrical junction box out in front of the mounting device. Thus, the rear of the electrical box cannot be brought into close proximity with a front of the mounting device.